Posts Tagged With: Hurt/Comfort

Book Review: Strong Medicine by J.K. Hogan

Reviewed by JustJen

unnamedTitle: Strong Medicine
Author: J.K. Hogan
Heroes: Cameron Fox/Jonah Radley
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 278 Pages
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Release Date: May 11, 2016
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Two men who meet in a psychiatric institution couldn’t possibly find happiness together—could they?

The world seemed to be telling disgraced former child star and singer Cameron Fox that he would never be happy again. A drunken car accident gets him sentenced to a work-release at Riverbend Behavioral Health Facility.

Reclusive, traumatized writer Jonah Radley has an entire graveyard of skeletons in his closet. Jonah regularly hospitalizes himself for psychotic episodes caused by a horrific childhood trauma, his biggest secret—one he refuses to speak about in therapy.

Jonah and Cameron form a bond inside the hospital, forged in mutual pain and hope for a better life. Once they leave the hospital, they must decide if they are brave enough to explore the intricacies of living with mental illness—and find a new normal together.
Continue reading

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Heat by Chris Quinton and R.J. Scott

Reviewed by Susan65

23148325Title: Heat
Authors: Chris Quinton and R.J. Scott
Series: Salisbury Stories #1
Heroes: Lewis Mandineau/Devon Trelawney
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 141 Pages
Publisher: Love Lane Books
Release Date: October 23, 2014
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Serving up passion, family, love and hate, with a side order of arson.

Lewis has lost nearly everything, and now it seems that Devon is here to take the last thing he has left – working in his beloved restaurant, Laurels. But when an arsonist threatens everything Lewis loves, he realises sometimes everyone has their ghosts, and he discovers an unexpected ally who is prepared to risk everything for him.

* * * * *

Set in the small cathedral city of Salisbury, Master Chef Lewis Mandineau no longer owns the Laurels, the restaurant that had been in his family for generations. Betrayed and robbed by an ex-lover, he’s had to sell to Trelawney Enterprises, an American corporation. That isn’t all Lewis has to contend with. Rachel, his beloved younger sister has been left severely hurt by the car crash that killed their parents, and taking care of her has to be his priority.

Enter Devon Trelawney III, sent to assess the viability of the restaurant and its staff. Devon knows all about family tradition. But he also knows sentiment has no place in business matters, and the Laurels’ potential is swamped by the debts it has accrued. Devon is a hardheaded businessman, first and foremost, but Lewis and Rachel test his resolve in different ways. Soon Devon is forced to admit that what seems like an impossible love can sometimes become something very real.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Betrayed by Adrienne Wilder

Reviewed by JustJen

30178372Title: Betrayed
Author: Adrienne Wilder
Series: Bound Gods #3
Heroes: Leo/Kaleb/Aaron
Genre: MMM Fantasy
Length: 276 Pages
Publisher: Adrienne Wilder
Release Date: May 11, 2016
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  The stakes are rising.

As the god-son closes in leaving more bodies in its wake, treason and betrayal against the Association is unveiled. An inquiry for the Goddesses has been called, threatening everything Leo holds dear.

And the Chimera is not about to let go without a fight.

Despite the dangers lurking in the shadows, Leo wants his doxie Kaleb to think of only one thing. Him. His training. His purpose. And embrace the reality of what he is and not be ashamed of his attraction to Aaron, the doxie tossed aside by Sol.

Attraction is one thing. Bringing the boy to their bed is something else entirely. Kaleb can’t possibly want anyone but Leo. A lie Kaleb will pay dearly for. Penance Leo will be more than happy to deliver.

But penance for a lie will pale in comparison to what Kaleb must do to keep Sol from taking Aaron away, and invoking the Chimera into a lifetime in chains.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Werewolves of Chernobyl by K.A. Merikan and L.A. Witt

Reviewed by Susan65

30114819Title: Werewolves of Chernobyl
Authors: K.A. Merikan and L.A. Witt
Heroes: Quinn/Dima/Nazar
Genre: MMM paranormal
Length: 266 Pages
Publisher: Wing and Fang
Release Date: May 5, 2016
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: — Being kidnapped by two werewolves is an adventure after all, right? Right?! —

 

Quinn

If Quinn wants to get the best photos for his travel blog, no gate is too tall, and no ‘do not enter’ sign actually means he won’t go in. What he finds in a hidden exclusion zone by Chernobyl blows his mind. Mutants? Monsters? He doesn’t know, but he is bound to find out when not one but two of them break into his hotel.  Too bad the rules and attitudes they have toward sex don’t match Quinn’s at all.

Dima

Born with a disabled hand, smaller than the other werewolves, Dima is the lowest of the low in his pack, but when he meets the loveliest human he’s ever seen, he knows his luck has changed.  The last thing he expects though is his beloved friend Nazar turning on him once Dima’s affection for Quinn deepens, and he refuses to be mounted by Nazar anymore.

Nazar

Nazar is a high ranking soldier in his pack, but in his powerful body hides a gentle soul, and all he wants is to escape the pack with Dima. But once Dima claims Quinn as his, secrets Nazar has so far kept hidden rear their ugly head.  The werewolf language doesn’t have words to describe what they crave, so Quinn might be the only one to help them solve the puzzle of the desires that go against the rules of their pack.
Continue reading

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2016, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Five-Sided Heart by Max MacGowan

Reviewed by JustJen

29924710Title: Five-Sided Heart
Author: Max MacGowan
Heroes: Noah/Ian/Joshua/Gabriel/Ty
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 230 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 16, 2016
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Noah Trevelyan has lost his moorings. Disowned over his sexuality as a teenager, he hasn’t been back to his home on the Outer Banks since his fisherman father kicked him out. But when he returns for the Old Man’s funeral, he discovers his father left him the house and boat in his will. Noah must choose whether to stay or go, but he won’t be alone. There’s Ian, working to overcome the emotional scars left by a domineering ex-boyfriend, and Ty, a cheerful housekeeper who’s struggling to take care of his Alzheimer’s-stricken aunt. There’s Joshua too, running from the destruction of his old life, and Gabriel, who was once beaten and left for dead, and doesn’t know how to survive on his own.

Will they find in each other the strength and courage to keep living—and learn, together, how to love again? A polyamorous relationship is the last thing any of them expected to find in the Outer Banks, but it might be what they need most, and it might even be their redemption—if they can keep their group from breaking apart under the pressure.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Never a Hero by Marie Sexton

Reviewed by Morgan 

30077553Title: Never a Hero
Author: Marie Sexton
Narrator: Iggy Toma
Series: Tucker Springs #5
Heroes: Owen Meade/Nick Reynolds
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 4 Hours, 54 Minutes
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: April 29, 2016
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Everyone deserves a hero.

Owen Meade is desperately in need of a hero. Raised by a mother who made him ashamed of his stutter, his sexual orientation, and his congenitally amputated arm, Owen lives like a hermit in his Tucker Springs apartment. But then hunky veterinarian Nick Reynolds moves in downstairs.

Nick is sexy and confident, and makes Owen comfortable with himself in a way nobody ever has. He also introduces Owen to his firecracker of a little sister, who was born with a similar congenital amputation but never let it stand in her way. When she signs the two of them up for piano lessons—and insists that they play together in a recital—Owen can’t find a way to say no. Especially since it gives him a good excuse to spend more time with Nick.

Owen knows he’s falling hard for his neighbor, but every time he gets close, Nick inexplicably pulls away. Battling his mother’s scorn and Nick’s secrets, Owen soon realizes that instead of waiting for a hero, it’s time to be one—for himself and for Nick.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Morgan's Reviews, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Stumptown Spirits by E.J. Russell

Reviewed by Susan65

29418330Title: Stumptown Spirits
Author: E.J. Russell
Heroes: Logan Conner/Riley Morrel
Genre: MM Paranormal
Length: 240 Pages
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: May 16, 2016
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: What price would you pay to rescue a friend from hell?

For Logan Conner, the answer is almost anything. Guilt-ridden over trapping his college roommate in a ghost war rooted in Portland’s pioneer past, Logan has spent years searching for a solution. Then his new boyfriend, folklorist Riley Morrel, inadvertently gives him the key. Determined to pay his debt—and keep Riley safe—Logan abandons Riley and returns to Portland, prepared to give up his freedom and his future to make things right.

Crushed by Logan’s betrayal, Riley drops out of school and takes a job on a lackluster paranormal investigation show. When the crew arrives in Portland to film an episode about a local legend of feuding ghosts, he stumbles across Logan working at a local bar, and learns the truth about Logan’s plan.

Their destinies once more intertwined, the two men attempt to reforge their relationship while dodging a narcissistic TV personality, a craven ex-ghost, and a curmudgeonly bar owner with a hidden agenda. But Logan’s date with destiny is looming, and his life might not be the only one at stake.
Continue reading

Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2016, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: True Blue by R.J. Jones

Reviewed by Susan65

29771480Title: True Blue
Author: R.J. Jones
Series: Out of the Blue #3
Heroes: Brandon/Mason
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 184 Pages
Publisher: Vivid Blue Press
Release Date: May 13, 2016
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When being true to yourself means denial is no longer an option.

On the heels of a tragedy, Brandon White shaved his hair, adorned his body with tattoos, and concentrated on his attraction to the opposite sex. Fifteen years later, Brandon is a protective son and a loyal and respected member of the San Francisco Fire Department, bedding anything in a skirt that promises not to stick around afterward.

When his past and present collide in his dreams—including his best friend and fellow fireman, Mason—Brandon knows things are never going to be the same again. He starts to recall that fateful day years before, and the long-forgotten feelings that preceded it. The most important thing he remembers—he’s not as straight as he’d thought.

With help, Brandon learns to accept who he was always meant to be. But when tragedy strikes again, Brandon must reconcile his past and present and deal with his grief if he is to ever be true, not only to himself, but to Mason as well.

**This can be read as a standalone, however it is best enjoyed after reading the first two stories as side characters play a major role.**
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2016, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: After the Snap by Peyton Miller

Reviewed by JustJen

29995887Title: After the Snap
Author: Peyton Miller
Heroes: Seth Mercer/Colby Larsen
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 334 Pages
Publisher: Peyton Miller
Release Date: May 9, 2016
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Seth Mercer is at the top of his game when a secret threatens to topple him. Lust draws him into a dark pit and he’s unsure how to break away from a destructive force. Angry at himself, and his mistakes, he vows to never enter into another relationship again, until he has a special hook up with Colby.

Colby Larsen learns the truth about his ex and is devastated. He throws himself into his work, vowing to never get emotionally involved again. When he meets Seth, Colby is unprepared for how connected they become.

Seth has a secret and he can’t tell Colby. Colby can’t accept betrayal of any sort after being fooled by his cheating ex. When he finds out Seth has been hiding important information from him, will it end their relationship or draw them closer together?
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Debut Authors, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Flying Solo by Susan Mac Nicol

Reviewed by Susan65

28526233Title: Flying Solo
Author: Susan Mac Nicol
Series: Men of London #6
Heroes: Maxwell Lewis/Gibson Henry
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 176 Pages
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing
Release Date: January 28, 2016
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Flight attendant Maxwell Lewis has spent years cultivating a bon vivant image only to find he finally wants something more—and that something more includes the never-does-repeats game designer Gibson Henry.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

Maxwell Lewis is proud of the life he’s made. Having turned tragedy into triumph, he’s now a beloved member of a Target Airlines cabin crew with more than his fair share of attention both in the air and on the ground. But lately he’s wanted something more than the occasional hook-up or sometime sex buddy—particularly after meeting game designer and passenger Gibson Henry.

Talented and driven, Gibson has built a company ready to be the next big thing in gaming. Devoted to his work, he takes onetime pleasures where he find them and never does repeats…which is what he tells handsome, sexy Maxwell Lewis after a little mile-high flight attendance. But a chance encounter in a London club is about to change things forever. Two men, one who’s flown solo and another who’s only ever played alone, are about to find that at some point all games come to end, it’s time to bare your heart and try for love.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2016, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment